resident Francois Hollande won broad domestic applause on Tuesday for defying allies Britain and the United States by confirming plans to deliver a helicopter carrier to Russia, with one backer dismissing the objections as hypocritical.

Speaking on the eve of an EU meeting to discuss sanctions on Moscow over the downing of a civilian airliner over Ukraine, Hollande said late on Monday that a first Mistral warship would be handed over on schedule in October but a decision on a second would depend on Russia’s attitude.

It was the clearest signal yet that Paris will go through with the controversial deal despite the Ukraine crisis and came only hours after British Prime Minister David Cameron said it would be “unthinkable” for his country to fulfil such an order.

Sue W on
July 22nd, 2014 at 23:38:

A taxi driver writes:
“The French are old ‘ores, just like the Brits. Only the Brits ‘av been selling the Russians soccer teams an’ Knightbridge pent’arses. Stolen money, the ‘ole lot, ‘swelp me, guv!”

pete on
July 23rd, 2014 at 14:14:

I firmly disagree that such behaviour is typical of “old ores” this is the kind of remark that brings the oldest profession into disrepute. The United Federation of Old Whores, which I have just dreamed up, would never behave in such a corrupt and disreputable way.
The kind of decadent and depraved behaviour that is characterised by the selling of lethal ordinance to deranged dictators and their lackeys is much more typical of modern career politicians, who are much more easily bribed.